it’s time!

I took this photo about 1,174 days ago in Beijing, in May of 2005. This clock in Tiananmen Square was counting down the days until the 2008 Summer Olympics. And now…they’re here!

RH and I visited KM and AM to watch part of the Opening Ceremonies last night. I saw some folks I used to work with years ago who I hadn’t seen in forever, so that was fun. Then we headed to MR’s house for the second shindig of the evening. We walked in just as Team USA was entering the stadium. I was glad we got to see the American athletes, and I was pleased that I hadn’t missed the South Korean athletes either. Those are always the two countries I’m most interested in seeing.

While we missed parts of the ceremonies because we were driving, the portions we did see were absolutely incredible. I was most impressed by the undulating towers that formed mesmerizing ripples and precise formations, entirely controlled by people.

I’m sad to read the news this morning of the American tourist who was killed near the Forbidden City. The article stated that the Chinese people are very concerned about safety during the Olympics and are known for being friendly and welcoming to Americans. I can vouch for that…I had nothing but a wonderful experience when I was in Beijing.

We’re still trying to plan out our two-week trip to Korea in September. Seeing the footage of Beijing last night made me long to go back to Asia, so now I’m really excited about my journey to the motherland!